Basic Statistics: A Primer for the Biomedical Sciences

An introduction to the use of statistics in biomedical research-now fully updated for the information age

Since the second edition of Basic Statistics was published more than two decades ago, there have been significant changes in the way statistics is applied in the biomedical fields. To provide relevant, up-to-date coverage of biostatistics for professionals in public health, medicine, and other biomedical fields, this popular primer is now thoroughly revised. The new edition emphasizes biomedical research methodology and clearly explains the design, graphical methods, and exploratory data analysis as used in contemporary studies. Through short, concise, nontechnical presentations (high-school algebra is the only requirement!), readers will learn to interpret and examine data from biomedical studies and apply such tools as sampling, random assignment, and biostatistical analyses in their own research. Basic Statistics, Third Edition:

* Describes major types of biomedical studies and how to design them

* Discusses the samples used in different types of biomedical studies

* Emphasizes the use of confidence intervals in data analysis

* Offers a new introduction to survival analysis, including clinical

life tables

* Substantiates with examples some of the major statistical theorems

* Adds new graphs, figures, problem sets, and bibliographic references

* Discusses using statistical computer programs in data analysis

OLIVE JEAN DUNN, PhD, is Professor Emeritus, Biostatistics and Biomathematics, University of California, Los Angeles.
VIRGINIA A. CLARK, PhD, is Professor Emeritus, Biostatistics and Biomathematics, University of California, Los Angeles.